I am a college journalism educator and college media adviser with more than 30 years of professional media experience. These posts reflect my years of experience and are meant to serve as assistance for those working in mass media and media education.

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Thursday, June 4, 2009

Sad day for my friends at The Birmingham News

The first thing I noticed in my Twitter feed this morning was the announcement that The Birmingham News is cutting all salaries 10 percent, announcing buyouts, and eliminating all part-time positions and internships.

That's a sad day for journalism, especially when you consider that Birmingham has already lost its best local daily, The Post-Herald.

Now, Birmingham residents will be less well served in terms of local news coverage than before. The News is also planning to close all of its suburban offices, which means even less coverage of local politics and news for the vast majority of subscribers, who live in those suburban zones. It had already announced mandatory furloughs and a benefits freeze in March.

I am very fearful for the many friends of mine who work there, as well as for the community that will be even less well served than before. And, given the corrupt history of Birmingham and Jefferson County politics, who is going to be left to uncover the malfeasance that permeates those two governments? Alas, I fear soon, no one will be.